* * *

The idea of flying never sat well with Hera, but it wasn't that bad. Her parents were just overprotective to the point of her mom basically packing her bag for her.

While her dad had to hold her hand during both takeoff and landing, which she teased was for his sake more than hers. Earning her a playful growl from her father and she responded with giggles and laughter.

Hera was excited to hear the political side of it all, ever since she had heard about the Rogues—She researched all she could, her 'light reading' infuriated Harlow to no end. 

Since she wasn't the best in restoring the ink to the printer, turning him into a big grumpy Alpha.

"Alpha Hayden, think I'm seeing a grey hair—" Hayes groaned on two accounts, he was so used to his nickname. And he heard enough taunts from his mate and children about his hair betraying him, but he had his own greeting to the fellow retired Alpha before him.

"Don't tell me this is little Hera?"
"Hello, Alpha Shane." Hera knew what her father and Shane's expressions meant.
She was born in the middle of the war, and while she didn't understand it all that well—The three days of endless parties when the war finally ended is what brought Hayes to have the first truthful conversation with Hera—All in pup terms, but enough that she knew what to prepare for.

Even now she felt like she was missing something, she was missing a big gap as to what the true story was.

"Dragging your youngest to these meetings? Cruel Hayes. Fucking cruel." Hera shook her head.

"Dad thought it would be good for me to get off pack lands for once, and I'm interested in hearing about the Rogue program," Hayes smirked at his daughter's explanation, especially when Shane was taken by surprise.

"She's been reading up all week—"
"Dad." She hated hearing the bragging, and her dad was the reigning champion of it.
"They grow up fast, isn't that right bubbles?" He said, cooing down at her—Earning himself a warning snarl.

But of course, the Alphas laughed.

Her wolf feeling rather offended, in all of five minutes, she realized once again that she wasn't going to be taken seriously. Not while she stood beside her father.

Hera Mystic wanted to make her own stance.

Look at her, such a little Alpha.

Don't let her hear you say that, had Harlow in the dirt the last four sessions. Her wolf's pissed.

You think you chose the wrong pup to become Alpha?

Hayes hadn't thought of that, was Hera angry on that end?
Did her wolf want more of a role?
The answer was yes, for so long she was the Alpha's daughter—now she was the Alpha's sister.

"Mystic," Hera said with her back straight, and of course the single word had caught the attention of everyone in the room.
But she simply glanced to the side and held her head up further.

Better dig a grave for that girl's mate now, bless his soul.

Hayes rolled his eyes as he smiled at the she-wolf behind the desk as they were given the keys to their cabin and off they were. And a room filled with Alpha's and other high-tier pack officials, Hera was radiating.

"Easy Bubbles, don't want to scare everyone just yet."
"Yeah, tell that to the male who was staring at my ass like it was a buffet menu," Hayes growled in retaliation, which caused Hera to smirk.

"That's what I said without saying it...Is the Luna meeting that boring?"
"Your mother and Jade have said as much. But it's better than being in a room with all males." Hera perked her lips, that couldn't be the case.

Not at all.

"Do you think Crescent Moon is coming?" She asked just as she opened the door to their cabin, her eyes scanning the room for anything out of the ordinary. But alas, the only scent that lingered was an Omega that cleaned up the room prior to their arrival.

The meetings were long, packed with information, but Hayes continued to eye his daughter and smirk. She absorbed it all like a sponge and took notes in her binder.

Had he done a dishonesty to his daughter for not involving her as he had with Harlow and Haylee?

It wasn't until the third day when the topic arose, rogues. And the rest of the room groaned, as though it was an inconvenience.

"Why waste our time with those animals, they don't want our help. It's a waste of resources and—"
"I think you're confusing made rouges to those that are born rogues, sir. There's a difference, and one shouldn't speak over the other." The entirety of the room turned to the she-wolf who spoke, and Hayes had to close his eyes from the thought of fighting every last one of those gawking at his pup.

"Ha, yes, let's listen to a pup. You don't know anything about leading—"
"Alpha Michael, you have been acting Alpha for two and a half years—It would've been more had your father allowed for you to challenge for the position so perhaps you weren't ready for it either...And if we're thinking in that way, what do you know about living life as a Rogue?"

Hera...

Shhh. Look, he's cracking.

"I think she's making a fair point, Mystic. What do you believe the council should propose in the case of Rogues across America."
"Nothing." Hera simply responded, and it confused those around her quite easily.

"The council can't say anything that a Rogue would understand. It should be a pack offered reformation. Not solely from the council." Hayes had taken a headcount, trying to determine who would be a later problem.

But the nods from Arctic Crest were a shock, especially when they voiced it.

"The Mystic pup is right, we can't keep labeling the children of Rogues, it's a new generation." Hera had taken a look at the male that spoke, and she smiled to see that he was about her age.

A rising pup that wanted to step foot in the political world, but he wasn't the only one at the table who continued to speak.

He wasn't the Alpha, but the way he held himself he certainly has Alpha blood in him.

"Another pup, goddess help us all. We'll be ruined in the next ten years if those two take power."

"Alpha Michael, you are twenty-eight years old. That is hardly enough for you to criticize me over my age, I would dare call it childish actually because you fail to see what I'm saying. Overlooking it even. Rogues deserve a better chance, and if we're really thinking about it...Is it really safe to have our kind so close to humans?"

You sly little pup, did you really mention the Underground?

Have to make mama proud, don't I?

You are your mother's daughter.

But I'm also your daughter, which makes it equally as dangerous.

"You seem eager to help the Rogues, Mystic, is that fueled by your brother or father's opinions on the matter?"
"I've convinced my brother to listen to my plans, but Rogues aren't necessarily always populated where our packs are. The last cluster closest to us is about 250 miles away from pack grounds, in accordance to my father's last document of it. I can only estimate that it grew farther...And I forgot to mention that we lost a few packs in previous years. Are we just supposed to just forget any survivors that might've managed to get escape?"

Hera was thankful that Alpha Shawn was aiding her in segwaying the rest of what she had prepared, though she wasn't really here to necessarily speak. Hayes couldn't see anything wrong with getting her foot a little wet with the politics, he could see her wolf was eager.

"So we're supposed to clean up Crescent Moon's mess? Again? Typical."
"I'm sorry Alpha Conner, and what did you bring to the table when the war was at its peak?" Hayes smirked over to the elder and shook his head.

"Careful Conner, she has the numbers—Or lack thereof right in front of her." Hayes deemed, and while the rest of the room chuckled and laughed.
Leaving Hera to feel once again, deflated.

After all that build-up, her overprotective father had to put in his own word.
Couldn't she manage just one single thing on her own?

The presenter pushed past the topic to defuse the tension, but of course, Hera could still feel the eyes of either Alpha she angered.
Though her wolf knew exactly how to deal with males, ignore them, and make their wolf feels inadequate.

That was the best piece of advice her uncle had given her.

______

Date: 12-29-2021

Time: 9:49

Words: 1496

Hera is taking leader over a Rogue Reformed program, sound familiar?

See you Friday with a Blue Moon Chapter!